Electrolytic diaphragm



w. E.'GRE ENAWALT. ELECTROLYTIC DIAPHRAGM.

APPLICATION FlLED MAY25, 1920.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

UNITED STATES WELIAM E. GREENAWALT, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTROLYTIG DIAPHRAGM.

Application filed May 25,

To all w ham it may concew Be it known that I, YVILLIAM E. GmannA- WALT, a citizen of the United States, residing' in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado. have ini'ented certain .new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Diaphragms, of which the following` is a specification.

The invention represents a portion of the apparatus dislosed in my co-pendinp; process application, Serial No. 66,621, filed December 13, 1915, and has for its` object the effective Construction oi' large size diaphragms, which are nnaftected either by the electric current or by the electrolyte.

Diaphragms made of porous slabs have been in use for a long time. The size of the diaphragms were usually limited to the size of the individual slabs, or sections. I overcome the difiiculty by using;` metal rods, incased in a suitable insulating material, to hold the porous slabs in place. The rods are anchored to the sides of the tank.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l shows a cross section ot' an electrolytic cell 'rith the diaphragms in place; Fig. 2. a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3, a detail cross section of the invention. i

In the drawings, l is an electrolytic tank` 2 the pcrous'diaphragm slab's, or sections, 3 the anode, 4 the cathodes. 5 a metal rod. fitted into the grooved joints 6 of the porous slabs, 7 the insulating corerin of the rod, and 8 a fibrous material to make a iairly tight joint between the porous slabs and the insulatin; coverin ot' the metal rod. This same fihrous material may also be used in the joints in 'which there is no stitfening rod.

The porous slabs will ordinarily be made of burnt porous clay, or sand with an adhesive binder, and are preferably fashioned with a groove in the horizontal joints. The rod is preferably made of steel., and is preferably incased in a hard rubber tubing. Asbestos wicking is a good fibrous material for the j oints. The rods and diaphragms are anchored in position by the side strps 9, which are fastened to the sides of the tank. It is desirable to cement the rod in the rubber tubing. The steel rod gives the desired strength to the built-up diaphragm, while the rubber tubing, which protects it, is unafi'ected either by the electrc current or by the electrolyte.

The slabs forming the diaphragm may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 3s4,143.

made of silica sand mixed with an adhesive binder and subjecting the mixture in the form desired to a high temperature to cause semitusion. Or a mixture of good clay and saw dust may be compressed to the form desired and the dried form may then be subjected to a suicient temperature to bake the clay and burn out the saw dust.

I claim 1. An electrolytic diaphragm composed of a plurality of porous sections having arooved eclges and metal rods inclosed in rubber tubing inserted in the grooves between the porous sections to support them.

2. An electrolytic diaphragm composed of porous plates, and means for holding the plates together consisting of metal rods inclosed in a material unafi'ected by the electric current and by the electrolyte, and means for supporting the rods and plates attached to the sides of the electrolytic tank.

3. In electrolytic apparatus a diaphragm built up of porous sections, metal rods in the joints oi" the sections to support and stiifen the diaphragm, and a protecting medium surrounding the rods which is unafl'ected either by the electric current or by the electrolyte.

i. In electrolytic apparatus a diaphragm built up of porous sections, metal rods in the joints of the sections to support and stiflen the diaphragm, a protecting medium surrounding the rods which is unaftected by the clectric current or by the electrolyte, and a fibrous material interposedbetween the porous sections and protecting medium to make a tight joint.

5. In electrolytic apparatus, a diaphragm built up of porous sections, metal rods in the joints of the sections to support and stifl'en the diaphragm, a protecting medium surrounding` the rods which is unafi'ected by the electric current or the electrolyte, and a pliable material which is unafl ected by the electric current or by the electrolyte interposed between the porous sections and the protecting medium.

6. In electrolytic apparatus a diaphragm built up of porous sections, rods in the joints of the sections to support and stifl'en the diaphragm, and a protecting medium surrounding the rods which is substantially unafected by the electric current or by the electrolyte.

WILLIAM E. GREENAWALT. 

